When he squared off with Mexico’s Orlando Salido in a title defense April 16 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Lopez was undefeated and was expected to dominate a fighter with 11 defeats.

There was one big problem. Lopez had gotten fat between fights, weighing as much as 180 pounds before having to get down to the 126-pound featherweight limit. Lopez was not himself and even though he was even on the scorecards, he was stopped in the eighth round after having been floored in the fifth.

Lopez will get his shot at redemption tonight when he again tangles with Salido (37-11-2, 25 KOs), who will be trying to make the second successful defense of the belt he took from Lopez. They will get it on at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico (on Showtime).

Friday, after making weight, Lopez (31-1, 28 KOs) spoke with this newspaper via telephone. He admitted he did indeed have to lose at least 54 pounds to make weight for their first fight.

“Yes, I know, that’s what happened,” he said after enjoying a post-weigh-in meal. “I was very heavy coming down. I should have taken care of myself better and I understand that was on me.”

We asked Lopez why he gained all the weight. He danced around the subject. But his promoter, Bob Arum, is rather certain of why it happened.

“Wherever I was, Manny’s birthday party, wherever, this kid was there,” Arum said, referring to Lopez attending stablemate Manny Pacquiao’s annual December birthday party in the Philippines. “He was the playboy of the western world.

“He lost concentration, that is clear.”

That’s because Lopez was estranged from his wife (Barbara) and the two were going through a heated divorce. Interestingly, it sounds like the two may be on the verge of a reconciliation. Lopez said Friday she did all the cooking for this training camp and was in attendance at the weigh-in.

“It’s a day-to-day thing,” he said, “and that’s all I’m going to say about that.”

Arum said Lopez’ emotional tribulations had everything to do with his behavior leading up to the loss to Salido.

“That was causing all the problems,” Arum said.

In listening to Lopez speak Friday, the former champ seems to be tuned in to the task at hand.

“It taught me that I should concentrate,” he said. “This is my job, this is what I make my living at. I should take it seriously, and I have.”

Arum has no doubt Lopez is in a better frame of mind for this rematch.

“That is what everyone has told me,” Arum said. “I’m convinced of that. I really think he is in a much better place. I know he couldn’t be in a worse place than when he fought Salido the first time.”

It’s a good thing because another loss to Salido would really hurt Lopez’s career moving forward.

“It is very important,” said Lopez, 28, of Caguas, Puerto Rico.

“It’s just a question of getting the win and I think that puts me right back to where I was before. This is the most important part of my career right now.”

With the longtime boxing rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, it would seem there is even more pressure on Lopez to win tonight.

Even the politicians are in on this one. At a Jan. 17 news conference formally announcing the bout, San Juan mayor Jorge Santini was present.

“I am very happy to have this important show in our city,” Santini said. “We know how good Orlando Salido is, but we are also very confident that Juanma (Lopez’s nickname) will be at his best and will regain his championship.”

Lopez, however, said he doesn’t feel an extra burden just because he is fighting at home.

“It’s going to be pressure no matter where I fight,” said Lopez, who is 9-1 with eight knockouts in world title fights. “It doesn’t matter if I fight him in Puerto Rico or not, I still have to win.”

As does Salido, who has had to listen to all the reasons why he won – none of which had to do with the idea that he might be better than Lopez.

“Entering the first fight, I had some doubts but now I have beaten Juanma and I know I can beat him again,” Salido, 31, said at Wednesday’s final news conference. “I am 1,000 percent sure I can win.

“I’ve been in the gym preparing and I know what to expect. Even though I won last year, I still have something to prove. In the ring, we have a score to settle.”

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